Coronavirus (Covid19) Corner

[Stanley]

I agree with you Peter about the man who said he was a crisis actor just for a joke on Instagram. Moral of this story? Don't joke about life and death matters and don't use Instagram!
David, you ought to be right, this man should be focussed on. He may be perfectly correct but so what. It's the effect his refusing the vaccination has on other people that matters. He should have kept quiet instead of stepping into the limelight. However, the world being what it is he will probably end up with a fan club of nutters who ban all vaccination on principle.
Meanwhile in Australia Novak Djokovic is not being held captive in Australia, a top official says, as the men's world number one tennis player faces deportation over Covid vaccination rules. Another one who thinks his personal opinion is important and talks about 'feeling support'. I agree with Scott Morrison, rules are rules and the mistake was when Victoria gave him a waiver, it should never have happened.

[Big Kev]

Coronavirus, news or politics. This could probably go in all 3...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59909860

The headlines were terrifying. Hospitals facing intolerable pressures as patients left dying in corridors, the BBC reported.

It got so bad that 68 leading A&E doctors wrote to the prime minister to spell out their concerns.

This is not now though. It was the winter of 2017-18 - the last bad flu season when more than 300 people a day were dying from that virus at one point.

And that was not even a one-off. In January 2016 hospitals were cancelling routine operations, telling patients to stay away from A&E if they could, and emergency treatment areas were being set up outside some units - just as they are now.

The truth is the past decade has been a story of lengthening waits and declining performance.

[Tizer]

David, you ought to be right, this man should be focussed on. He may be perfectly correct but so what. It's the effect his refusing the vaccination has on other people that matters. He should have kept quiet instead of stepping into the limelight. However, the world being what it is he will probably end up with a fan club of nutters who ban all vaccination on principle.

I agree. Being a consultant anaesthetist is not the same as being a virologist or epidemiologist. He claims an infection makes him safe but seems to be unaware that many people who have had covid infection are getting it a second time, some even a third time.

[Tripps]

but seems to be unaware that many people who have had covid infection are getting it a second time, some even a third time.

Yes - I know several, and all had been 'fully vaccinated'.

Much of the anti vax propaganda comes from the David Icke types, and is thus quite easy to discount. From this consultant who has spent the last two years working in the Covid ward - I think perhaps, you have to listen. I thought Javid might have been quick witted enough to come back at him with long covid, and reduced hospitalisation and death rates, but he didn't. I very much doubt he will be fired at the end of April.

I noted on Dec 27th that everyone in Puerto de la Cruz had started wearing a mask outdoors. I note today that a lot fewer are doing so. A far as I can see the law, which obliged them to do so, has not changed. Make of that what you will.

My daily stroll raises my spirits. Puerto today.
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PS. Later that same night - from The Daily Record, and elsewhere. .

Free lateral flow tests could soon be scrapped for most of the public within weeks, reports claim.
Under plans reportedly being weighed up by officials, the tests could soon only be available in "high-risk" settings such as care homes, hospitals and schools. Boris Johnson is said to be poised to announce the move as part of the Government's strategy for living with the virus. The move would also see the NHS Test and Trace service scaled back, according to The Sunday Times.

A Whitehall source told the newspaper: “I don’t think we are in a world where we can continue to hand out free lateral flow tests to everybody forevermore. "It’s likely we will move to a scenario where there is less testing but where we have a capacity to ramp it up if necessary, such as in the winter.”


Cue - tomorrow - panic hoarding of lateral flow tests.

[Stanley]

"Cue - tomorrow - panic hoarding of lateral flow tests."
And buy toilet rolls while you are at it!
Kev, the article is quite right and puts its finger on the main reason, the cuts in funding under Tory control starting in 2010. The same holds true for other public services, take knife crime as just one example.
Sunak is continuing this noble Tory tradition in all fields and yes, the days of anything free are numbered if he has his way.

[Big Kev]

Lateral flow tests available to order on the .gov website this morning, there's been nothing available for the past 4 days

Screenshot_20220109-090222_Chrome.jpg

[Tizer]

Tripps, another question Javid could have asked the consultant is how many of the covid patients in his hospital have had vaccinations? Most covid patients in hospital now are people who have not taken up any vaccination, so he should be well aware of the benefits of having the jab. Also how does he know he isn't an asymptomatic carrier? Is he taking tests every day?

I notice the headlines today stating `UK records more than 150,000 deaths'. We're only surpassed by 6 other countries: the US, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Peru. And this: Prof Andrew Hayward, who is a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said the death toll was "absolutely tragic". "I think we could have done better," he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme. "I think some of the deaths are even more tragic for the fact that many of them were avoidable if we had acted earlier in the first and second wave." LINK

[Stanley]

I always believed we would reach 150,000 deaths and at one point was told I was being pessimistic.
Good question about the percentage of non-vaccinated in hospital with Covid Peter!
How does our total compare with the other 6 countries in terms of a percentage of the population?
How long can the government stonewall on a proper enquiry into the handling of the pandemic. I'm thinking about evidence such as the stories Private Eye published in 'Profits of Doom'. (LINK TO PODCAST)

[plaques]

Vaccinations per country. This is the best I can do at short notice. The UK is comparable with other European countries but not at the top of the list.

Share of vaccinations. 1.jpg

[Stanley]

I meant deaths compared to population Ken.

[plaques]

I can't find a chart showing single figure death rates per country they are normally shown as deaths per million of population. Which then requires the reader to know the population of the country to get a single figure.
A chart can be seen Here. which happens to be too long for a screen shot.

I wouldn't worry too much if like Trump we stop counting, stop PCR tests and make LFT purchase only then the numbers will drop like a stone. Job done, pandemic over.

[Big Kev]

There's are some stats here https://www.statista.com/statistics/110 ... habitants/

[Tizer]

Also here Worldometer
They are ordered according to total cases rather than deaths but all those over 100,000 in the total deaths column are among the first 16 entries except for Peru which comes in at No.24.

[Tripps]

I look at Worldometer fairly regularly. Some think it inaccurate, but I think they are diligent and as good as any other. I assume they use the same methodolgy each day so it is a reasonable comparison.

If you click on any column header it will rank the data for you instantly. In either order - highest to lowest or the reverse.

[PanBiker]

Well Chemists in Barlick had Lateral Flow Kits today, we are down to our last box. We will test later this afternoon as we were in foreign company (Silsden) yesterday for Fins birthday party. Parents in attendance included one doctor, two nurses and three teachers all of whom are required to test regularly. Sally has a physio appointment tomorrow at Barlick surgery so today's test will kill two birds so to speak.

[Stanley]

I got a text last night that my prescription is ready at Well and that I should ask for lateral flow tests while I was there.
That was the one Ken, we are 13th in the European table. That was the gauge I was looking for.

[Tizer]

Are the latest lateral flow test kits for mouth and nose, or nose only? We've been using ones we've had a while.

[PanBiker]

Nasal only in the last two brands we have although this latest batch is back to the separate liquid vials rather then the ones that have the liquid already under a foil sealed cap in the mixing tube. We found with the first brands of kit that the separate liquid vials evaporated over time despite being in sealed packages, must be evaporation through the plastic that they are made from. The swabs are much shorter so you would struggle reaching the back of your throat with them.

[Tizer]

Thanks, the one's we've got are nasal only and have the liquid in a separate vial with sealed cap.

[Stanley]

Ian was right, well have the tests. Got my prescription and a box of Lateral flow tests. Haven't opened it to see what's in it.....

[Big Kev]

I had a box arrive through the post today.

[Sue]

We have had nasal only for a bit, its a darker blue box than the nasal and throat. We have a
Had a number of boxes with things missing like disposal bags and would you believe swabs. I bought sterile some swabs from Amazon so we could use the kits. I officially complained but ended up having to fill in a questionnaire that was endless. I abandoned ship and just bought the swabs ! We have been waiting three weeks for the last kit I ordered. Its two weeks since I had an email apology and a number to phone. I can’t be bothered , we have enough for a few weeks , although we went through a lot when we were both testing daily after being in contact with Erin, then I had to continue when Bob got covid, then both again after Bobs day 6 and we were going away. The mind boggles as to how many boxes have been used in the UK over the Christmas period

[Tripps]

we were both testing daily after being in contact with Erin

I don't quite get the need for so many tests. This version is very transmissible, so why if you think you may have been exposed to the virus, just isolate for a few days if you can, and see what happens. You'll probably know in three or four days. I get to thnking again (perhaps a little bit mischievously) how many tests would be done if the kits cost (say) £5 each.

I've just had a haircut. Didn't have a mask on as I walked straight into an empty chair. I was asked to put a mask on. I did so of course on grounds of politeness. Fashions change - no mask last time, and they don't disinfect the chair between customers now.

[Big Kev]

we were both testing daily after being in contact with Erin

I don't quite get the need for so many tests. This version is very transmissible, so why if you think you may have been exposed to the virus, just isolate for a few days if you can, and see what happens.

It's a 'test and trace' requirement to test daily, for 7 days after contact with an infected person for those who are fully vaccinated. 10 days isolation for the unvaccinated.

[Big Kev]

I get to thnking again (perhaps a little bit mischievously) how many tests would be done if the kits cost (say) £5 each.

Private LFTs, for travel to foreign parts, are between £15 and £18 each. Currently I need to buy two, before our Canaries cruise, but will be leaving it as late as possible as requirements are fast changing. I only need the reference numbers to fill out the passenger location form (needs completing prior to embarking) and the LFTs need doing up to two days after disembarking.